by Thea Martinez and Kate Compton
Every month, over 80,000 Colorado children receive a special package in the mail—a brand- new, age-appropriate book delivered directly to their doorstep. This simple act represents something profound: the Imagination Library Colorado program is quietly revolutionizing early childhood literacy across our state, one book at a time.
What Makes This Program Essential
Imagination Library Colorado provides free monthly books to children from birth through kindergarten entry, removing the financial barrier that prevents many families from building home libraries. With Dollywood covering national program costs and Colorado’s innovative SB20-185, the state budgets other funds to be matched by local Colorado county affiliates. Currently 59 of the 64 counties are supported. The impact extends far beyond simply delivering books. Research consistently shows that children with books in their homes develop stronger language skills and achieve greater reading proficiency (Schubert and Becker, 2010). These early advantages translate into improved academic outcomes throughout their educational journey (Evans et al., 2010).
The Power of Home Libraries
For 36% of participating families, Imagination Library serves as their primary source of children’s books—a statistic that underscores the program’s vital role in addressing book access inequity. When children have books readily available at home, they can explore reading independently, revisit favorite stories, and develop the crucial habit of turning to books for entertainment and learning. The program’s effectiveness is evident in family behavior changes; 53% of parents report that their children now bring books to others and request reading time more frequently. This shift represents exactly what early literacy experts know builds strong readers—children who see books as sources of joy and connection.
Quality That Matters
Imagination Library doesn’t just deliver any books; it carefully selects high-quality titles that build vocabulary, print awareness, and letter knowledge. July’s featured book for 4-year-olds exemplifies this commitment: “When You Love a Book” by Colorado author Kaz Windness and Illustrator Heather Brockman Lee, a CLEL Bell Award winner that celebrates the very love of reading the program aims to foster. We know that finding the right book a child loves can make all the difference. The recent expansion of bilingual English/Spanish options represents another crucial advancement, ensuring that children and families can engage with stories in their heart language while feeling seen and represented.
A Program Under Pressure
Despite its proven impact, Imagination Library Colorado faces significant challenges. State budget constraints threaten funding stability, while rising costs and growing enrollment create additional financial pressures for county affiliates. These pressures come at a time when early literacy support is more crucial than ever, making the program’s sustainability a critical concern for Colorado’s educational future.
Collaboration Opportunities
- Co-host “book celebration” storytimes in libraries where Imagination Library participants receive their latest monthly book.
- Highlight the upcoming books by reading or building a program around upcoming books
- Download and print free coloring and activity sheets from Imagination Library.
- Host a literacy night and bring affiliates in to sign up participants.
- Libraries can be a pick up location for patrons if they are concerned about giving away personal information
- Some library systems act as an enrollment agent while partnering with local fiscal affiliates.
- Some library systems act as the fiscal affiliate for the county.
Call to Action
For Parents & Caregivers: Enroll your child in Imagination Library, and connect with your local library’s offerings—Storytimes, early literacy kits, and caregiver workshops.
For Libraries: Partner with your local Imagination Library affiliate to host literacy events, share storytime resources, and incorporate mailed book themes into library programming. Or use talking points about the value of books to encourage affiliates to step up.
For Policymakers & Funders: Support a coordinated approach that blends statewide home-book delivery with local library-based literacy support—a model for lasting impact.
Imagination Library Colorado and CLEL share a vision: empowering every child to develop literacy skills and a love of reading before kindergarten. By combining the power of book gifting and library-based literacy ecosystems, Colorado can nurture stronger readers, stronger families, and stronger communities—one book, one rhyme, one caregiver interaction at a time.
Resources You May Want To Check Out
Works Cited
- Evans, M. D., Kelley, J., Sikora, J., & Treiman, D. J. (2010). Family scholarly culture and educational success: Books and schooling in 27 nations.
- Research in Social Stratification and Mobility Schubert, F., & Becker, R. (2010). Social Inequality of Reading Literacy: A Longitudinal Analysis With Cross-Sectional Data of PIRLS 2001 and PISA 2000 Utilizing the Pairwise Matching Methodology.Sociology of Education
